For your mingling pleasure, five local news items to get today's culinary conversations started:

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1.There's still time to score a Mother's Day table at RN74, which just yesterday announced its Mothers Day brunch plans. The a la carte menu includes hand-cut beignets, pork belly hash, pain perdu and smoked salmon BLT. The evnt runs from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on May 12.

2. And, speaking of smoked fish, Ray'sBoathouse has added new snacks to its bar menu. 5 p.m.-6 p.m. is designated Hot and Smoky Hour, with specials on smoked fish.

3. For an even cheaper afternoon snack, check out the new cheese puffs and cheese dip at Fado Irish Pub. There's a coupon on the bar's Facebook page for a free order with purchase of another item.

4. Next week is Nurses' Week, which is a big deal up on hospital row. The Hunt Club is celebrating by entering all nurses who lunch at the restaurant in a drawing for free spa services, hotel stays and dinner packages. More details here.

5. Rainshadow Meats Squared has gotten into the brunch business in a big way: The menu for this Saturday's service includes olive oil-poached rabbit; house-cured ham and brioche a tete.